Chris Brown, of Turpin Smale, highlighted bird watching as an area of interest for cafés and restuarants to focus on for attracting customers in his presentation at the HTA Catering Conference.

One of our Gold Award winners in The Greatest Catering awards, The Birdhouse Tea Room at Woodside Plant Centre in Jedburgh, has been making the most of the opportunity for years.

“The Jacobi Jayne window plant feeder hanger is our bestselling line in the shop,” said owner Emma Emmerson.

“That and the window feeder are constant sellers as a result of people enjoying watching the birds feed at the window of the tea shop.”

Now that’s a gold-plated bestsellers tip that could be employed in most garden centre coffee shops.